5 MAY 1917

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NEWS OF THE WEEK.

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W E, being persuaded that the abstention from all un- necessary consumption of grain will furnish the surest and most effectual means of defeating the devices of Our enemies and...

This Proclamation was published in the Press on Thursday throughout

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the length and breadth of the land; it was read from the steps of the Royal Exchange that morning, and will no doubt be read at every service in everyplace of worship in the...

On Monday the Prime Minister spent all day at the

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Admiralty slis- CUSLing for the most part the submarine problem. On the same day, in the House of Commons, Sir Edward Carson said that the number of German submarines was...

Another - heavy return of merchant ships sunk by submarines emphasizes

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the King's request to his people. The Admiralty reports for the week ending on Sunday last the loss of thirty-eight large and thirteen small British merchantmen and eight...

The chief defect of the weekly return is that while

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the railings and arrivals include neutral vessels and small coasting vessels that dodge in and out of ports, the list of losses excludes all but British vessels. The ordinary...

The losses of shipping through submarine attack continue to be

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the absorbing topic. We may fairly say that they are now the only cause of anxiety. In the House of Lords on Thursday week Lord Beresford said that we lost more vessels from...

THE PAPER SHORTAGE.—We trust that readers of the "Spectator" will

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give definite orders to their newsagents for a copy of the " Spectator " to be reserved for them each week till countermanded.

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The Admiralty announces that a homeward-bound troopship, the ' Ballarat,'

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carrying Australian troops, was sunk by a submarine on April 25th, when she was thirty-five-miles from the nearest land. By good fortune and good management, we have had few-...

We showed last week how Lincoln, faced with jest such

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a problem in West Virginia, absolutely refused to allow a faction to tyrannize over its fellows under the extremely simple pretence that it was a " State "--or, as-we should say...

Early on the morning of Friday, April 27th, Ramsgate was

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heavily shelled by German destroyers. The fire was immediately returned and the enemy driven off, after firing a large number of rounds in little over five minutes. Though the...

Our gallant Allies spent most of the week in making

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good their hold of their conquests to the east and west of Reims, in which they took 175 guns on one day and nearly 21,000 prisoners in twelve days' fighting. On Monday,...

General Maude is still vigoroualy following up the defeated Turks

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in Mesopotamia. - On Monday he struck at the 13th Turkish Corps, which was entrenching on the Shatt-el-Adhaim, a hundred miles north-east of Baghdad. He caught them unawares,...

Before ending his speech at the- Guildhall on Friday week

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Mr. Lloyd George referred to the importance of an Irish settle- ment. On every hand we are being told that failure to settle the Irish question will have a disstrous effect upon...

On Friday week Mr. Lloyd George at the Guildhall and

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Bonar Law in the House of Commons both made important statements On economic policy. The Imperial War Cabinet has unanimously, accepted the principle that the various parts:of...

General Petain, who shared with General Nivelle the glory of

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the immortal defence of Verdun; has been appointed . Chief of the General Staff of the French Army at the Ministry of War. The post, which corresponds closely to that occupied...

Last Saturday the following retirements - and -promotions were

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announced by the Admiralty , Roar-Admirals:a-Drury St A. Wake; CsBa - C.I.E., the Hon. Stanhope Hawke, and Edward - He- Meubray, all placed on the Retired List, at; their- own...

Sir Douglas Haig has struck - three heavy blows at the

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s6-called Hindenburg Line east of Arras during the week. The first blow, on Saturday last, gave ns the village of Arleux and two miles of trenches north and south of it. The...

America confounded the soepties by coming into-the war. She has

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left them speechless by. adopting. conscription forthwith, and not aftea a long , delay, as in Lincoln's time. Last Saturday both Houses of Congress by overwhelming majorities...

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Fighting officers need that support just as much as a

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Commander-in- Chief needs to be protected from the slander when he incurs heavy casualty-lists that he is a " butcher." That is the whole sense and purport of anything we have...

In the Commons on Friday week Captain Bathurst stated that

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the return supplied by the Master Bakers' Association showed that, in the areas to which they referred, the average consumption of breadstuffs a head in March was six pounds a...

We welcome a general moving-up of the younger men on

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principle. This is a war of young men. Even the Generals and Admirals are comparatively young. In naval warfare the con- ditions have entirely changed during the war, and it is...

We confess that whenever we have said a word in

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criticism of the Admiralty or of naval policy we have instantly been given pause by finding ourselves unwittingly in association with critics whose language is both grossly...

In the House of Lords on Wednesday the Archbishop of

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Canter. bury initiated a debate on the policy of reprisals, in connexion with the Allied air raid made on Freiburg by way of retaliation for . the attacks by German submarines...

Finally, turning to the question of criticism, Major Baird appealed

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to members to recognize the need of reserve. Within proper limits criticism was to be welcomed and might often be stimulating, but there was no more certain way of killing a man...

The intensity of the struggle for the mastery of the

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air on the Western front is revealed in the figures given in Wednesday's Times showing that 717 aeroplanes were brought down during the month of April. In July last year, when...

Major Baird's statement on the Air Board Vote on Thursday,

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week was frank and satisfactory. The present Air Board was undoubtedly another step in the direction of an Air Ministry. All the members worked together in the closest harmony...

Mr. Boner Law introduced his first Budget on Wednesday in

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a concise and able speech. In the last financial year the revenue amounted to £573,428,000, but this year, by increasing the Excess Profits Tax, the Tobacco Duty, and the...

Bank Rate, 5 per cent., change I from 51 per

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cent. April "nth.

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TOPICS OF THE DAY.

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THE BUDGET. I N explaining the Budget in the House of Commons on Wednesday Mr. Boner Law surpassed himself in conciseness. and lucidity. His speech, dealing with huge and...

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W THE PRIME MINISTER'S SURVEY. HEN Mr.-Lloyd George received the Freedom

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of the City of _London on Friday week he surveyed the situation in.a speech of fire and.stout-heartedness. The speech had the sovereign merit of stimulating and cheering even...

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THE FUTURE OF PALESTINE.

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T HIS is not the time for speculation as to the territorial or commercial gains which may come to the British Empire as the result of the war. J The less we say or think about...

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GERMAN METHODS OF RATIONING.

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W E are glad to see that the Times has been employing its former correspondent in Berlin to warn our own Government against a repetition of the numerous blunders that the...

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TIlE FOOD QUESTION FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO.

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[COMMUNICATED.] L AST week the present writer was idly turning over the pages of a, translation of Piers Plowman, done into beautiful modern prose by M iss Kate M. Warren...

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FROM THE " D BLOCK " WARDS.

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IF you walk up the corridor at half-past four on certain afternoons of the week, you will meet a mob of patients trooping from their wards to the concert-room. Being built of...

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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[Letters of the length of one of our leading paragraphs are often more read, and therefore more effective, titan those which fill treble the space.] BREAD : A CHOICE. [To THE...

" ON THEIR HONOUR."

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[To THE EDITOR OP THs " SPECTLTOB."] SIR,—May I suggest that the reason six pounds of bread per head instead of four pounds are consumed in some private houses is because the...

CORN PRODUCTION BILL.

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[To TEE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOIL.'9 SIR,—In your issue of April 28th you comment on Mr. Runciman's criticisms on the Government's Bill on this subject, and point out that " he...

HOW TO ECONOMIZE IN WHEAT.

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[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] Sig,—During the next fire months it is clearly of vital import- ance (1) that every possible substitute for wheaten flour should be used,...

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THE DOG TAX.

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(To THE EDWOR Or THE " SPECTATOR:1 Sue, In your article entitled " Why Not More Taxes?" you observe that the Dog Tax of 79. Gd. would be much more lucrative if it were properly...

[TO THE EDITOR Off THE " SPECTATOR.")

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Sea,—Your -correspondent's letter about " cornmeal mush " prompts me to send you the proper recipe :— " Take two quarts of water, boil it with a small teaspoonful of salt. Add...

INCOME TAX.

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fTo THE EDITOR OF TUB " SPECTATOR.") Bia,—While your remarks on future taxation- are to the point, don't you think that some concession on future Income Tax should be made to...

CORNMEAL- MUSH.

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(To THE Emma or THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—With reference to the letter of D. Mackenzie Macdonald in your last issue respecting " cornmeal mush " as a breakfast dish, I have...

OUR FLYING MEN.

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lTo THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR.") Ssa,—Your correspondent " M." in the Spectator of April 28th asks: " Is there no prayer or hymn set apart for the flying men? . . . Many...

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POETRY.

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AN AMERICAN COLLEGE TO AN ENGLISH UNIVERSITY. Oxman, when I remembered thou hadst been Two years engaged in this most holy war, My heart with bitterness and shame was sore,...

THE Y.M.C.A. IN AMERICA.

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[To THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—Your readers will perhaps be interested to know of a practical step that has been taken in America out of sympathy with Britain and the...

SWINBURNE AND MUSIC.

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[To THE EDITOR Or THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—Thero is a single point in the full and valuable notice which you have given to The Life of Swinburne that demands a word of...

THE HOUSE OF LYME.

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[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—The reviewer of Lady Newton's House of Lyme in your issue of the 21st ult. states that " there are still a few phrases which may be...

CENTRAL BUREAU FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN. [To THE EDITOR

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or THE " SPECTATOR."] Sue—That women of education and skill are needed in many occupations is known to us all, and the urgent demands of employers, together with the much...

SUMMER KNITTING.

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[To THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—In answer to countless letters on the question of what comforts to make for the men during the summer, can you find me room to state,...

SWINBURNE'S ANCESTRY.

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[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.") PR,—In the notice of Swinburne's Life by Edmund Gosse, C.B. (April 21st), I think there is a slight inaccuracy—" Though the first scholar or...

THE SERBIAN RELIEF FUND.

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[To THE EDITOR. OF THE SPEcTram."1 SIR,—May I again call your attention to the Exhibition of Serbian handicrafts which opened last Tuesday, May 1st, at 64 New Bond Street? The...

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BOOKS.

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PRESIDENT WILSON.• PRESIDENT WILSON has long puzzled most English people. They wanted to know what he really thought about the war, and were by turns perplexed and annoyed at...

ART.

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THE ACADEMY. Ir is of course much too soon to expect to see any radical change in English art yet. Nevertheless there are signs that even at the Academy the sleeper is...

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ESSAYS IN ORTHODOXY.* Ir is an encouraging sign of the

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times that so much interest should be taken by the younger clergy in theology. No doubt there are many who are very insufficiently equipped in theological learning, and the...

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SIR GEORGE REID'S REMINISCENCES.*

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As one reads Sir George Reid's agreeable if rather slight reminis- cences one cannot help reflecting how much Australia owes to Scotland. The Scots are a race of pioneers. Among...

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The Physiology of Food and Economy in Diet. By W.

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M. Bayliss. (Longmans and Co. 2s. net.)—Professor Bayliss has written a very sensible little book on the subject that interests every one just now. His leading maxim is : " Take...

READABLE NOVELS.—The Citadel. By • Cecilia Hill. 'With an Introduesion

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by Emile Cammaerts. (Hutchinson and Co. 6s.)— A .novel with a decidedly musical tinge. It ends with. a most Poignant description of the taking of Dinant.—The New Order. By...

SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.

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[Notice in this column does not necessarily preclude aubseinent review.] THE "May MACazrses.—The Nineteenth Century has an interesting artiole on " The French Solution of the...

FICTION. .

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A NEW AMERICAN SATIRIST.* Mn. FREEMAN Tunas: is declared in the publishers' announcement on the wrapper to be the greatest living master of satire in America. This is a large...

We are glad to welcome the collection of Mr. C.

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L. Graves's poems which has just been published by Messrs. Sidgwick and Jackson under the title of War's Surprises, and other Verses (3s. fid. not). As so many of the poems in...

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Under the title of Les Premiers Cent Mille (1 fr.

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25 c.. net), Messrs. Nelson publish a French version of Ian Hays famous The First Thindred - Thousand. The translators, MM. Georges Riehet and Emile Herzog, have done their work...

We have pleasure in calling attention to a practical little

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Vocabu- lary of the Mesopotamian Dialect of Arabic, which has been com- piled by Lieutenant J. T. Cole for the use of officers and men in tho Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force....

The Religious Tract Society issues a very well-printed pocket edition

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in French, according to the Synodal version, of the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles (Is. net). We do not care much for the coloured pictures of Mr. Copping, but the simple...

Doers Parliamentary . Companion for 1917. (Whittaker. 5s. net.) —This familiar

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and indispensable little work contains the most complete list of the new Government that we have yet seen in any book of reference. For the first time Dod gives lists of the...